A teen was fined for reporting stalker to police five times. He went on to murder her

Shana Grice was killed by her ex-boyfriend. Photo / Family Handout

A teenager who was fined after reporting her stalker ex-boyfriend to police five times was then murdered by the man she pleaded with police to stop.

Instead of listening to 19-year-old Shana Grice's pleas for help, UK Police fined her £90 ($176) for "wasting police time".

Over a period of six months in 2016, Grice had begged police to take action against Michael Lane.

But police accused her of wasting their time because she failed to tell officers she had previously been in a relationship with Lane despite reporting he had pulled her hair and grabbed her phone.

Her pleas were ignored despite Lane also breaking into her home.

In August that year, he slit her throat before trying to burn her body.

Now police have said Grice's death was "avoidable".

Lane was given a police caution when he broke into her house.

Despite breaking up, he bombarded her with flowers for her 19th birthday, put a tracker device on her car and would show up unannounced to her house despite Grice having a new relationship.

Grice recorded a terrifying phonecall from Lane which said: "I wanted to see you and I knew you wouldn't let me in.

"I'm just not right in the head, otherwise I wouldn't do it."

Michael Lane was jailed for life. Photo / Sussex Police

The next day, she received heavy breathing calls from an unlisted number, which she also reported and told the police she was scared but they declared she was a "low risk".

Two days later she told police Lane was following her but instead of following up the report she was sent her a letter saying no further action would be taken and the case was closed.

On August 25, 2016 Lane bought a can of petrol and broke into Shana's home again but this time he was armed with a knife.

He then murdered her.

Tom Milsom from the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), says Sussex Police didn't understand "the difference between a spat between two individuals and harassing behaviour" so Grice was "failed".

"You really need to listen to the victim and I don't think that happened to Shana," he says.

"She was let down."

Grice's heartbreaking death featured in Sky Crime documentary Murder in Slow Motion over the weekend.

Lane was jailed for life.

Shana Grice was killed by her ex-boyfriend. Photo / Family Handout

Forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes, who contributes to the programme, says Grice's case shows the "dangerous" attitudes towards female victims and it often puts off women from reporting crimes.

She told the Sun: "This is such a tragic murder and all the more so because it was avoidable.

"The case typifies why women have little faith in the police and why they often don't report incidents because they are not confident they will get the help that they need."

According to the Crime Survey of England and Wales a shocking one in five women has been stalked since the age of 16.